Although every educator knows firsthand about the effects that poverty can have on students, here at last is a book that makes it crystal clear why and how the effects of poverty have to be addressed in classroom teaching and school and district policy. Veteran educator and brain expert Eric Jensen helps you understand what poverty does to children's brains and why students raised in poverty are especially subject to stressors that undermine school behavior and performance. Then learn how the effects of poverty can be reversed when educators employ the practices of turn-around schools and schools that have a history of high performance among students raised in poverty. Drawing from research, experience, and real school success stories, Jensen explains what educators everywhere can do to improve the achievement of economically disadvantaged students: (1) How to recognize the signs of chronic stress caused by poverty; (2) Why to assess low performing students for core skills that are affected by poverty, such as attention, focus, and problem solving; (3) How to change school and classroom environments to alleviate the stress caused by chronic poverty; (4) Ways to empower students and increase their perception of control over their environments; (5) Which schoolwide factors lead to success and which are always achievement killers; and (6) How enriching learning environments that include the arts and highly engaging instruction can change students' brains and improve their lives. Contents contain an Introduction and chapters: (1) Understanding the Nature of Poverty; (2) How Poverty Affects Behavior and Academic Performance; (3) Embracing the Mind-Set of Change; (4) Schoolwide Success Factors; (5) Classroom-Level Success Factors; and (6) Instructional Light and Magic. The book also includes: Related ASCD Resources: Brain-Based Learning and Teaching Students from Poverty; A Study Guide for Teaching with Poverty in Mind: What Being Poor Does to Kids' Brains and What Schools Can Do About It; and References.